Temperature responsive control



Oct. 21,` 1958 M. GUNAR 2,855,994

TEMPERATURE RESPONSIVE coNTEoL y Filed Aug. 14, 1957 INVENTOR Murray Gulza ATTORNEY United States -Patent O 2,856,994 TEMPERATURE RESPONSIVE CONTROL Murray Gunar, Lakewood, N. J. Application August 14, 1957, Serial No. 678,257

s Claims. (cl. s-140)' l Y (Granted under Title 35, U.-S. Code V(1.952), sec. 266).; Y.

The invention described herein, if patented, maybe manufactured and used by orV for the Government' for governmental purposes, without the payment tome of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a temperature responsive device for controlling the ow of fluid and more particularly to a temperature responsive safety shutoifdevice fora gaseous fuel burner.

A general object of this invention isthe provision of a new`and improved control automatically to shut olf the llow of fuel to a burner inthe event. thatcombustion at the burner is interrupted, thereby preventingthe re-- lease of highly ammable and poisonous'gases'to thev surrounding atmosphere with the resulting elimination of` potential explosions and health hazards due to inhalation of the deadly gases.

An important object of this invention is the provision'V of an automatic cutoff valve for a fuel conveying line which requires the continuous application of manual force to the valve by the user to maintain a flow of fluid in the line in the absence of a predetermined temperature! so that the device Vis bound to fail safe.

Another object of this invention is to provide an auto- 'f matic safety fuel cutoff valve which includes. a relativelysimple mechanical arrangementof parts andV is -therefore capable of economical manufacture and trobleefree operation. V`

A further object of this invention is to provide atem perature responsive control including a safety cutoff feature for use with any fluid fuel consuming'device whichl generates a temperature differential in operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention'will be apparent during the course of the following description.-

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a temperature responsive control in accordance with the present invention as- A sociated with a source of fluid fuel under pressure and aA fuel burner, the control being shown in the closed position, x

Figure 2 isa central vertical longitudinal section along lineZ--Z of Figure l,

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section taken along line 3-3 of Figure l,

Figure 4 is a similar section taken along line 4-4 of Figure l,

Figure 5 is a similar section taken along line 5-5 of Figure l,

Figure 6 is a similar section taken along line 6-6 of Figure l,

Figure 7 is a similar section taken along'line 7-7 of Figure l,

Figure 8 is an enlarged partial central vertical longitudinal section showing the position of the valve members during operation of the burner, and

' Figure 9 is a partial central vertical section similar the xed valve member 2,856,994' f Patentedr Oct. 21,- l 958` 2 to Figure 2 showing a modification of the invention in the closed position.

Referring more particularly to the drawings where for thepurpose of illustration a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in Figures 1 to 8, the numeral 10 designates an elongated tubular member vwhich forms a housing for the improved'control ofthe present invenv tion anda fuel inlet passageway, one end of which is joined to Yor formed integrall with a conventional fuel burner 11 of a type appropriate for the type offuel being used. At or near the opposed end of the housing 10 a connection 12 is provided for joining same to any suitable source of -lluidV fuel under pressure.Y

to be supplied to the temperature responsivecontrol.

The end of the Vhousing 10 remote fromathe burner isV closed by a cap 15 which is provided with a centrally located aperture having a packing gland 16`securedtherein for a purpose to be described. -A member Y17 of high thermal conductivity is mounted adjacentthe junction of the burner 11 and housing 10 at 'a position vto bev directly:

subjected` to` the heat at the burnery 11.v This heat conductor has an end depending into thepassageway formed .f

by housing 10, and this depending end has an aperture 18 for a purpose to be later described.V

A portion of the innerl surface of the housing 10 isi provided with fixed longitudinally extending ribs 19 there` on spaced around its circumference.

The function of these ribs 19 will be later described.

Three generally disc shaped valvemembers closely rcon-V i passageway formed by the housforming in shape to the ing 10 are housed therein., 20 is fixed in position within the passagewayin sealed relation thereto and is provided with twougenerally -sector shaped apertures orports 21..andV 224 The center -valve member,

tween the various valve members.

The valve member 24 bestshown in Figure 5 is located',v

on the upstream side of the fixed valve member and'is provided with a single generallysector shaped aperture or port 25therethrough which normally registers with aperture 21 in fixed valve member 20. As indicated in phantom in Figure 6, the location and size of the aperture 25 is such that it overlaps portions of apertures 21 l aperture or port 27 therethrough which is held in register-r ing alignment with aperture 22 in the lixed'valve member 20. Valve member 26 is also provided with a series of arcuate apertures or ports 28 therethrough which are adapted to be closed by iixed valve member 20. The

peripheral edge of valve member 26 is provided with a plurality of axially extending grooves 29 which coact with the previously described longitudinally extendingV ribs 19 on the inner surface of the housing 10 to lock this valve member against angular movement without impeding axial sliding movement thereof so that theY aperture 27 therein is maintained in registering alignmentrwith times. v

Valvel member 24 is keyed to one end of a shaft 30 This source may include a valve 14 for Aregulating the fuel pressure i extending there'- Y through as shown in Figure 6.V The opposed surfaces of i the valve member 20 are preferably covered with a suit` able `material 23 to improve the sealing contact bea starting posi- Y 25 registers with aperture 22 in'v aperture 22 in xed valve member 20 at all estrae rotatably journaled in a support 31 shown in Figure 4 and the packing gland 16Y in-cap 15, in sealing relation with the latter through which it projects to the exterior as shown in Figure 2. This projecting end of the shaft 30 is provided" with a suitableV knobloifA fop manually rotating the shaft in a manner and forx a-purpolseto be described. The valve` member 24 is slidable axially/of` the 'shaftl 30 andis biased alongF this` shaft in tojsealing-l engagement. withV the xed valve member Z- by corni s t t 10 pression spring 33.

The shaft. -is angularly biasedA` toal normal position wherein the aperture 25 in valve member 24 is in registering alignmentv Withthe aperture 21` in` the fixed valve member. Ztl byv means of.v a crank arm comprisingaV disc 34 keyed on the Vshaft as shown in; Figure/3V and` a tensionspring. 35 having one endlxed to a pin in crank arm disc 3,4and-the other end xed in a screw 36 threaded inthercontrol body 10; The spring 35 is tensioned to exert a continuing force on the c rank arm Q34 to return the shafttandva'lve member 24^to the normal position. i

The4 valve memberr2v6ris mounted on one end ofV a shaft 37 which isi-slidably supported in a support 38Y and is.

connectedratits opposite end to a bimetallic thermos'tatic.v

element,391ofanyysuitable type. The other `end ofthe therm'os'taticelement is lixed in good thermal conducting relation to the member 17 by appropriate means, in this case arstub shaft 40, Thestub shaft-4U!` is fixed in good thermal' conducting relation Yin the aperture 1'8 of the aforementioned heat conducting member 17- which extends into the passageway d einedby the housing 10 i] fromabovethesburnervsurface as best gshownin Figure 2l 'Thee thermostatic element 39 may be of any suitable. type that will quickly contract upon an increase in the temperature thereofin accordance with the generally known operation of bimetallic tbermostatic elementswith resulting sliding lmovement of the shaft 37L and.valve member V26 'away from fixed valve member 20 kfrom ythe positionshown-in Figure Zjto the position shownhin'1 Figure-8py The thermostatic element is adjusted to main; tain sliding valvemember-ZG inclosing relation with'V aperture 21'" in fixed valve member 20funder normal.`

ambient temperatures. It should -be apparent that various configurations of bimetallic thermostatic elements maybe utiligedtoachieve the desired resultas shown and described;

From the foregoingbdescription, it will be seen that`r under normal nonoperatingconditions shown` in Figures' 2 through`7 the aperturer2g5jin rotary valve-member 24 is in registering alignment 'withthe aperture 21 infixed.

valve member 20 and'ntheapertp/rejl, is closedby slidf ing valve`nrlember26. Aperture 27 in slidingvalve mem-k ber,26 is registeringt. alignment withaperture 2,2.in

fixed valve member 26), the aperture 22bjeing closed by rotary valvemsmber 24 whsnlthepsrts are iirtheposi:

arefvriesz ia. Slitlipavalremamber .261. are closed byY xed valve member 20.'-"This,vtherefore*, is the clgs'edpr. nonoperating `positionpof .thec'ontrol in which theggilow of Vuid therethrough isentirely preventem 111. the. Operation@ the centroid! thenpcratcr manually Wise direction to its startingposition at whichposition the aperture 25 in this valve member is aligned `witl'raperis established between apertures 21 and 22 in fixed valve member-20 and the apertures in the sliding valve member 26 as shown by arrows in Figure 8. Due to the sensitivity of the heat conducting member 17 and the thermostatic element 39, this action occurs within a few seconds after ignition of th'e burner. After this brief time interval, the knob 32 may be released by the operator allowing the rotary valve member 24 to return to its normal position under-the inuence of the tension spring 35. In this eratingposition closing the aperture 21 in xed valvemember 20 and thereby cutting oi the ilowV of fuel through,- the control.

'lheilowv oflfuel may be normally shut off either by cutting goffthe-supply oifuel to the control or by turning valve member 24 to a position where the aperture 25 therein issclosed-byl fixed valve memberll until the ame at thelburner is; extinguished and then allowing the valve membertowreturnto -its normal positionunder the influencegof ithe spring.. 35;

A modilcationof the present invention is shown in Figure 9.` In this embodiment the control housing 10' issubstantial-lyE identicalwith-,the previously described housing 10. Two generally disc shaped valve members 4l-andt42 are located infthepassageway defined by this housing., Valve memberV 41.is-'provided. with a generally seftontshaped aperture or port #t3-therethrough closed by therva e member 42'whenV the parts are in nonoperating position,k Valverrnemberv42 is-:provided with a generally sector shaped aperture. or port 4illl-therethrough which is closed by valyemember 41,when the parts are in nonoperatingfpositiont A'plurality of grooves in the peripheralgsurfaceyof valve member 42 coact with. longitudinally,.extending-.ribs 45'on1the inner surface of the passageway 10 to lock this valve member against .rotation dur-ing sliding-tmovement:tthereof tov be described; in a mannerysimilarfto the manner in which the valve 26 in thegrst embodiment is` locked againstl rotation. At least one of the'opposed surfaces ofvalve members 41 and 42 isgpreferablprovided with av suitable covering material 46";tot promote sealingl contact-betweenthe valve membersg Inf-thisembodimcnt, it is also necessary that at least QXIQ; they-valve-- members, preferably valve meme ber 41, be made to closely'conform to the interior surfaceffof thc'rbody. 10'- or :thata sealing ring (not shown) be-usedfjozprevent leakage of fluid .between this valve memberand the housing 10%.

The valgve memberdllis lixedly mounted. on/one end of a shaft 47 which is slidably supported in a support 48 ing valve Ymember 26 therebyY permitting ltheilow ,of fuel throughthe controlto the burner 11 where it isjignitedr, ina usualmanner. Suitable Vindiciaor stops (not shown) i,

are provided` on the knob 32 ,andcapzu 15 ,toenable the operatorto locate this position inrotating the knob32.V

The temperature increase duey to combustion ,at the burn. er surface is conducted by the 'heatconducting member 17 to thel temperature responsive ,elementr3 9.whichicon-Q tractsl under the iniluence of the temperature increase. o

causing movement of the sliding valve member 26 away.

fr0-m xsd valve member @whereupon communicatief anda-packing gland 16A in a'cap 155 closing the outer end of the body 10. The shaft 47 has a'knob 32 onits outer end in the` samemanner -as in'the previously described embodiment of the invention. Shaft 47 is arcuately biased to a predeterminedposition .by torsion spring 49 having one end anchored in support 48 and the other end fixed to the valve member "41. The spring 49 also serves to bias the valve member 41 axially into sealing relation with a valve member 42.

Valve member 42 is xed to one end of an axially movable shaft Stirwhichis slidably supported in a iixed support 51 and projects toward the burner end of the housing."4 The opposite endgof; shaft risfxedto 1a bimetallic thermostatio-element 39'- in thesame manner as inthe,

previously described embodirnent In'. startingka lnurnervvith'E this embodiment of thefinv'entiomthe rotatable and axially slidable shaft 47 Vis eitherrotated by the rapplication of manual force to the knob 32" until theraperture 43 in valve member 41 isrin register with the aperture 44 in valve member 42 thus establishing vcommunication through the valve members orthe shaft 47 is drawn tothe left as seen in Figure 9 thus-also establishing communication through the apertures 43 and 44 in the valve members 41 and 42.- In either event there will be a flow of fluid-toY the burner where it is lighted in the customary manner'. Under the influence of the temperature Yincrease due to combustion at the burner, the thermostatic element 39 will draw the valve member 42 away from valve member 41 thereby establishing communication through the apertures 43 and 44`irrespective of the position of Valve member 41. The knob 32 may then be released and Ythe flow of fiuid through the control will continue so long as heat is supplied to the temperature responsive element 39 by combustion at the burner. Y

Upon release of the knob 32' valve member 41 returns to its normal position under the influence of spring 49. In the eventv that combustion at the burner surface Yis accidentally extinguished, the resultant temperature decrease in the thermostatic element 39' will cause the valve member 42 to be returned to its nonoperating position closing the apertures 43 and 44 in valve members 41 and 42 respectively and thus shutting off the flow of fluid to the burner.

The normal shutoff of flow through the 4control-in this `30 application to fluid fuel burning equipment which will v automatically cut olf the ow of fuel to a burner should the fiame be accidentally,extinguished and which in the absence of a flame at the burner 'completely prevents the flow of fuel therethrough unless a continuous manual force is applied by theV operator so that the control is tive to move the said valve members relatively tofoperat- Y ing means defining an inlet passageway to connect the' burner to a source of fuel under pressure, relatively movable valve members in said passageway each having at least one port therein for the owof fuel therethrough,

a thermostatic element connected to one of said valve members for moving the said member in response to a predetermined temperature at said burner to a normal operating positionat which communication is established through the ports in said valve members, a shaft connectedl to another of said valve members and including a part external to saidpassageway and means for moving said shaft and the valve member connected thereto in opposite directions includingt'aspring and a manually operable member operatively connected tothe external part of said shaft to move the"valve member. connected thereto to a starting position at which communication is established through said valve members regardless of the temperature at said burner, said spring continuously biasing said shaft and the valve member connected thereto to a nonoperating position'clo'sing communication through the valve memberl so that flow of fuel through said passageway will be cut off upon release of said manually operable member unless the temperature at said burner is high eno-ugh to cause said first-mentioned valve member to be moved to its operative position by said thermol static element.

bound to fail safe. The desirable safety features of a control of this nature should be readily apparent to one familiar with the inherent danger of using fluid fuels.

It is to be understood that the forms of the invention herewith shown and described are to be taken as preferred examples of same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit ofthe invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

l. A temperature responsive control comprising means defining a passageway for fluid, relativelymovable valve members in said passagewayreach'having at least one port therein, and conjointly operable means to control relative movement of said valve members comprising means including a temperature responsive element to move one of said valve members relatively to the other in response to a predetermined increase in the temperature thereof to a normal operating position at which communication is established through said ports, means for biasing said valve members for relative movement to a nonoperating position closing communication through the ports therein if said temperature responsive element is below a predetermined temperature and manually operable means to move the other of said valve members relatively to said one member in opposition to saidbiasing means to a starting position at which communication is established through said ports regardless of the temperature of said temperature responsive element, said biasing means being continuously effective to restore said valve members to said nonoperating position upon release of said manual means to cut off communication through said ports unless the temperature of said temperature responsive element is high enough to render the same opera- A normal position.

3. An automatic cutoff for a uidfuel burner comprising means defining an inlet passageway to connect 'the burner to a source of fluid fuel 1under pressure, relativelymovable first and second valve members in said passageway having normally communicating ports, said second valve member having a second port normally closed by 1 said first valve member, a third valve member having a part for closing the'first-mentioned port vin said second valve member and a port communicating with the second port in said second'valve member, means for shifting said first valve member to bring the' port therein'into commusponsive to an increase in the temperature at said burner for shifting said third valve member to a position at which communication is established between the port therein and the first mentioned'port in said ,second valve` member so as to' establish communication through said valve member is at its valve members when said first 4. A temperature Vresp'onsivercontrol comprising means dening a passageway `for"fluid, a movableY first valve member in said passageway having an aperture therethrough, means biasing said first valve member to a predetermined normal position, a second valve member fixed in said passageway having an aperture therethrough communicating with the aperture in said first valve member when said first member is in normal position, said second valve member having a second aperture therethrough normally closed by said first valve member, a movable third valve member in said passageway having an aperture therethrough communicating with the normally closed aperture inl said second valve member, means including a temperature responsive element for shifting the third valve member to a position at which communication is established between the aperture therein and at least the first mentioned aperture in said second valve member 5., Aternperature responsive eentrol eomprising means definingfa passageway for fluid., arrnotvable first valve' member in said passageway having a port therein, means biasinssaid .memberto a predetermined normal position, a movable second valve member normally Closing the port in said firstvalve memberand having a. port. therein normally elosedbysaid first-valve member,A means responsive to a temperature inet-easeY and decrease for moving said second valve member respectively to and from apositien where. communication is established between said ports and manually operable means for moving said first valve member in opposition to said biasing means ,to a position whereommunieation is established between said ports irrespeetiveof the ation of said temperatureresponsive meansnsaidbiasing means being continuously effective to .return-said valve member to normal position upon termi ation offtbe application .of manual force. i e e 6- An automatic Ventoi kfor a lipid; fuel burner eomprising means defining an inlet passageway to connect the burner to a source of iluid fuel under pressure, a shaft rotatably and axially s lidlably mounted within said passageway, a first valvernember mounted on said shaft and having a port therethrough, external to said passageway for manually operating said shaft to shift said rst valve member, means mounted' on said shaft for axially and rotatably biasing the same and said first valve member to a, predetermined normal position, a second valve member movably mounted in said passageway and having a port therethrougliadapted to be brought into communication with the. port in said rst valve member upon predetermined movement of tbe latter out of its normal position or upon. movement of said second valve member from a predetermined inoperative to a predetermined operative position, strueture on eaeh of said valve members to eooperate with the other in closing communication through said ports when said two valve members are respeetivelyat the'predetermined normal position and the predetermined inoperative position and means including an element responsive to an increase in the temperature at said buigner Afor moving Asaid, second valve memberfrorn the said predetermined inoperative position to the said predetermined operative position.

7. An automatic outof for a fluid fuel burner comprising means defining an` inlet passageway to connect the burner to a source of fluid fuel under pressure, a rotatable shaft mounted in, said passageway, means for biasing said shaft for rotation to a predetermined normal position, a first valve member mounted to turn with said shaft and having a port therethrough, a seeond valve member xedly mounted within said passageway having a port 8 therethrough omtnunicating with thel port in said first valve member when the latter is in normal position, said fixed valve mber having a ,second port therethrough which is closed by sailrst valve member when the latter iS in normal position, a movable, third valve member for closing eommunication through the said rstport in said fixed valve member and having at least one aperture therethrough communicating with the second port in said fined rvalve member, manually operable means to rotate said, shaft in opposition to said. biasing means to a position to establish communiation through the port in said rotatable shaft mounted in said passageway, means for.

biasing said shaft for rotation to a predetermined normal position, a `first valve member `,mounted to turn with said shaft and having a port therethrough, a second valve member fixedly mounted within said passageway having a port therethrough communicating with the port in said rst valve member when the/latter is in normal position, said fixed valve member having a second port therethrough which is elosed by said first valve member when the latter isin normal position, a movable third valve member for closing communication through the said first port in said Xed valve member and having at least one aperture therethrough communicating with the second 'port in said fixed valve member, manually operable means to rotate said shaft in opposition to said biasing means to a position to establish communication through the port in said first valve member and the second port in said fixed valve member and means including a ternperature responsive element for moving said third valve member to and from a position wherein communication is established between the port therein and the first mentioned por-t in said fixed valve member, the port in said first valve member being dimensioned to overlap both ports in said fixed valve member at the mid-point of the movement of said first valve member between a positionlwhere the port therein registers with the said second port in said xed valve member and its normal position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,483,191 Gauger Sept. 27, 1949 

